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UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 12 TOKYO 002018 
 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPT FOR E, P, EB, EAP/J, EAP/P, EAP/PD, PA; 
WHITE HOUSE/NSC/NEC; JUSTICE FOR STU CHEMTOB IN ANTI-TRUST DIVISION; 
TREASURY/OASIA/IMI/JAPAN; DEPT PASS USTR/PUBLIC AFFAIRS OFFICE; 
SECDEF FOR JCS-J-5/JAPAN, 
DASD/ISA/EAPR/JAPAN; DEPT PASS ELECTRONICALLY TO USDA 
FAS/ITP FOR SCHROETER; PACOM HONOLULU FOR PUBLIC DIPLOMACY ADVISOR; 
CINCPAC FLT/PA/ COMNAVFORJAPAN/PA. 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: OIIP KMDR KPAO PGOV PINR ECON ELAB JA
 
SUBJECT: JAPANESE MORNING PRESS HIGHLIGHTS 09/02/09 
 
Index: 
1) Top headlines 
2) Editorials 
3) Prime Minister's daily schedule (Nikkei) 
 
4) 74 PERCENT  of those surveyed have expectations for the new 
administration  (Asahi) 
5)  71 PERCENT  of those surveyed have expectations for a Prime 
Minister Hatoyama  (Sankei) 
6) - Hatoyama to be elected prime minister on the 16th; conference 
on coalition starts today  (Yomiuri) 
7) - Former top govt. official: secret nuclear pact still in effect 
(Tokyo Shimbun) 
8) Masuzoe says he will not run for LDP presidency  (Yomiuri) 
9) Foreign Ministry: No headway in preparations for new prime 
minister's visit to U.S.  (Yomiuri) 
10) - 42 PERCENT  of those surveyed holding judgment on change of 
regime  (Tokyo Shimbun) 
11) DPJ to freeze over 1 trillion yen in budget funds in revising 
the fiscal 2009 extra budget (Yomiuri) 
12) - Defense contractor demands Ministry of Defense pay 5 billion 
yen for canceled order of attack helicopters  (Asahi) 
13) - DPJ to submit at extraordinary session of diet bill for 
sweeping revision of laws to usher in leadership by politicians 
(Nikkei) 
14) - 68 PERCENT  of those surveyed applaud DPJ victory  (Yomiuri) 
15) - MSDF ship returns to home port  (Nikkei) 
16) - U.S. refusal to renegotiate Futenma transfer throws water on 
DPJ's approach to America  (Nikkei) 
17) U.S. State Department: "No renegotiations" on Futenma 
(Mainichi) 
18) - 66 PERCENT  of those surveyed say LDP can take back power, 19 
PERCENT  say it can't  (Yomiuri) 
19) - Yosano will not attend G20 summit  (Yomiuri) 
 
Articles: 
 
1) TOP HEADLINES 
 
Asahi: 
Launch of Consumer Affairs Agency: Tug-of-war between politicians, 
bureaucrats begins 
 
Mainichi: 
Launch of Consumer Affairs Agency: Battle to break away from 
bureaucratic control begins 
 
Yomiuri: 
Hatoyama to be elected prime minister on September 16; Coalition 
talks begin today 
 
Nikkei: 
Legal amendments in package to facilitate political leadership; DPJ 
to submit bills to extraordinary Diet session 
 
Sankei: 
Hatoyama to be elected prime minister on September 16; Agreement 
reached with LDP, New Komeito on holding special Diet session 
 
Tokyo Shimbun: 
DPJ begins coalition talks; Hatoyama indicates plan to appoint 
cabinet members from SDP, PNP 
 
TOKYO 00002018  002 OF 012 
 
 
 
Akahata: 
Door opens to new politics: Good opportunity to change history 
 
2) EDITORIALS 
 
Asahi: 
(1) To the new Hatoyama administration: Build a strong foundation 
for administration leadership 
 
Mainichi: 
(1) Expectation for the new administration: Send out honest, 
straightforward messages 
(2) Expectation for the new administration: Show the way to place 
priority on livelihoods 
 
Yomiuri: 
(1) New start for LDP: Election of new president should be rushed 
(2) Yanba Dam: DPJ should consider continuation of construction work 
one option 
 
Nikkei: 
(1) Hatoyama administration should change tack on U.S. policy 
 
Sankei: 
(1) LDP presidential election: Show efforts at self-reform 
(2) Launch of Consumer Affairs Agency: Ruling, opposition parties 
have responsibility to foster this agency 
 
Tokyo Shimbun: 
(1) Administration transition: Policy of breaking away from reliance 
on bureaucrats put to the test 
(2) Disaster Prevention Day: Do not narrow down the scope of 
preventive measures 
 
Akahata: 
(1) World financial reform: Trend toward stricter regulation 
continues 
 
3) Prime Minister's Official Residence (Kantei) 
 
Prime Minister's schedule, September 1 
 
NIKKEI (Page 2) (Full) 
September 2, 2009 
 
08:05 Cabinet talks and special cabinet meeting on disaster 
preparedness drill at the Cabinet Crisis Management Center. 
08:30 Press conference at the Kantei. Then emergency disaster 
countermeasures headquarters meeting. 
09:04 Cabinet meeting. Then issued an order to assign additional 
duties to State Minister for Consumer Affairs Noda. 
10:41 Left the Kantei by GSDP helicopter. 
10:57 Arrived at Higashi-Ogijima Higashi Park in Kawasaki City. 
Observed disaster prevention drill jointly carried out by eight 
prefectures. 
12:08 Left the park by GSDF helicopter. 
12:23 Arrived at the Kantei. 
14:33 
14:33 First Consumer Affairs Committee meeting held at Sanno Park 
Tower Building in Nagata-cho. 
14:47 Arrived at the Kantei. 
 
TOKYO 00002018  003 OF 012 
 
 
16:08 Met with Special Assistant to the LDP president Shimamura. 
Chief Cabinet Secretary Kawamura joined. Kawamura stayed behind. 
18:45 Dined with his family at "Sukiyabashi Jiro," a sushi 
restaurant in Ginza. 
19:37 Arrived at the official residence. 
 
4) Poll: 74 PERCENT  pin hopes on new government 
 
ASAHI (Page 1) (Full) 
September 2, 2009 
 
Following up the outcome of the recent general election for the 
House of Representatives, the Asahi Shimbun conducted a 
telephone-based spot nationwide public opinion survey yesterday. In 
the spot poll, respondents were asked if they had high expectations 
for the new government to be led by the Democratic Party of Japan. 
In response to this question, 74 PERCENT  answered "yes," with 17 
PERCENT  saying "no." Respondents were also asked if they thought 
the DPJ government could substantially change Japan's politics. To 
this question, 32 PERCENT  replied "yes," with 46 PERCENT  saying 
"no." 
 
Respondents were further asked if they were happy with the change of 
government resulting from the election. To this question, 69 PERCENT 
 answered "yes," with 10 PERCENT  saying "no." Even among those who 
answered that they voted for the Liberal Democratic Party in their 
proportional representation blocs, 46 PERCENT  answered "yes" to 
that question. 
 
The DPJ won an overwhelming victory with more than 300 seats. Asked 
if they were pleased with this outcome, a total of 54 PERCENT 
answered "yes," with 25 PERCENT  saying "no." As seen from these 
figures, public opinion was less positive about the DPJ's 
overwhelming victory than about the change of government. 
 
Meanwhile, respondents were asked why they thought the DPJ won such 
an overwhelming victory. Asked if it was primarily because the 
public desired to see a change of government, a total of 81 PERCENT 
answered "yes." Only 38 PERCENT  answered "yes" when asked if they 
thought that was primarily because the DPJ's policies were 
supported. 
 
Even among those having high expectations for the new government, 37 
PERCENT  said the DPJ government would not be able to change Japan's 
politics substantially. Even among those who voted for the DPJ in 
the election, 31 PERCENT  had the same opinion. 
 
On the whole, the public welcomes the change of government. However, 
there are also many who have doubts about the DPJ's policies and 
capacity. 
 
Respondents were asked if they had high expectations for DPJ 
President Hatoyama, who is now certain to become prime minister. To 
this question, 63 PERCENT  answered "yes," with 29 PERCENT  saying 
"no." 
 
The LDP will now become an opposition party. When respondents were 
asked if they wanted the LDP to recover as a political party 
standing up to the DPJ, 76 PERCENT  answered "yes," with 17 PERCENT 
saying "no." 
 
In the breakdown of public support for political parties, the DPJ 
 
TOKYO 00002018  004 OF 012 
 
 
scored 39 PERCENT , topping its previous all-time high of 34 PERCENT 
 posted in a survey conducted right after the election for the House 
of Councillors in 2007. Public support for the LDP was at 22 PERCENT 
. 
 
5) Poll: 71 PERCENT  have high "expectations" of Hatoyama as 
premier 
 
SANKEI (Page 5) (Abridged) 
September 2, 2009 
 
Kyodo News yesterday conducted a telephone-based spot nationwide 
public opinion survey, in which 71.1 PERCENT  of respondents 
answered "yes" when they were asked if they had high expectations 
for Democratic Party of Japan (DPJ) President Yukio Hatoyama, who 
will now become prime minister. The results of polls conducted in 
the past and this time cannot be directly compared, but the figure 
posted this time around for Hatoyama is way above the Aso cabinet's 
48.6 PERCENT  support rating right after its inauguration. 
Meanwhile, "no" accounted for 20.2 PERCENT . 
 
In the poll, respondents were also asked if they were happy with the 
change of government. In response to this question, 49.2 PERCENT 
answered "yes," with 42.3 PERCENT  saying they "can't say either 
way." Respondents were further asked if they were happy with the 
Liberal Democratic Party's crushing defeat. To this question, 47.2 
PERCENT  answered that they "can't say either way," and 44.8 PERCENT 
 saying "yes." 
 
In the breakdown of public support for political parties, the DPJ 
stood at 41.1 PERCENT , the highest ever for the DPJ. The LDP was at 
19.0 PERCENT , followed by the New Komeito party at 5.1 PERCENT , 
the Japanese Communist Party at 3.4 PERCENT , the Social Democratic 
Party at 2.1 PERCENT , the Your Party at 2.4 PERCENT , the People's 
New Party at 1.5 PERCENT , and the New Party Nippon at 0.1 PERCENT . 
"None" accounted for 22.9 PERCENT . 
 
6) "Prime Minister Hatoyama" to be elected on September 16; 
Coalition talks begin today 
 
YOMIURI (Top play) (Full) 
September 2, 2009 
 
The Democratic Party of Japan (DPJ) reached an agreement with the 
Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) on September 1 to hold the special 
Diet session to elect the prime minister on September 16. The 
election of the prime minister will take place on September 16, and 
DPJ President Yukio Hatoyama is expected to be elected as the 93th 
prime minister of Japan. Meanwhile, Hatoyama met People's New Party 
(PNP) leader Shizuka Kamei in the Diet building on September 1, and 
the two agreed to begin talks for forming a coalition government 
together with the Social Democratic Party (SDP). The SDP is also 
expected to make an official decision to participate in the 
coalition talks at a national meeting of representatives on 
September 2. The three parties will begin coalition talks by their 
policy officers on September 2. 
 
Hatoyama wants to launch the coalition cabinet with the SDP and the 
PNP promptly after being elected as the prime minister. He told 
reporters on September 1: "I will form the cabinet right after being 
elected as prime minister. It may take me one or two days," 
indicating that the new cabinet will be launched on September 16 or 
 
TOKYO 00002018  005 OF 012 
 
 
¶17. 
 
The special Diet session is expected to last for four days. When the 
Diet is convened, the election of the speaker and vice speaker of 
the House of Representatives will be held before the election of the 
prime minister. A DPJ member will be elected as speaker of the Lower 
House for the first time in history. 
 
DPJ Policy Research Committee Chairman Masayuki Naoshima and the 
policy officers of the SDP and PNP will start discussions on forming 
a coalition government based on the "common policies" they agreed 
upon before the official campaign started for the recent Lower House 
election. They will exchange views on foreign and security policies, 
which were not included in the "common policies." 
 
At an executive meeting on September 1, the SDP decided to demand 
from the DPJ the creation of a "ruling parties' liaison council" 
(tentative name) as a venue for prior consultations among the ruling 
parties on matters to be taken up at cabinet meetings. 
 
However, Hatoyama said at his meeting with Kamei on September 1 
that: "We will avoid dual policymaking by the government and the 
party as much as possible. I would like the decisions to be made by 
the government," indicating a negative view on setting up a prior 
consultation body of the ruling parties. 
 
The LDP had wanted to hold the special Diet session on September 15, 
but a decision to convene the Diet on September 16 was made after a 
meeting between LDP Diet Affairs Committee Chairman Tadamori Oshima 
and his DPJ counterpart Kenji Yamaoka. 
 
7) New testimony from former senior government official: Secret 
nuclear agreement still in force 
 
TOKYO SHIMBUN (Page 3) (Abridged) 
September 2, 2009 
 
In connection with the question of the secret nuclear agreement 
between Japan and the U.S. which allows U.S. military vessels 
carrying nuclear weapons to pass through Japanese waters and call on 
Japanese ports, a former senior government official who was involved 
with crafting foreign policy at the Prime Minister's Official 
Residence (Kantei) admitted the existence of the secret accord on 
September 1. He further stated: "Inasmuch as Japan is protected by 
the 'nuclear umbrella,' it is quite natural that there is some 
arrangement (on allowing passage and port calls)." He further said 
that "(the secret accord) has not been killed (by Japan and the 
U.S.)," indicating his view that the "minutes of the secret 
discussions" document that the secret agreement is still in force, 
diplomatically speaking. 
 
This former official spoke to Kyodo News on condition of anonymity. 
 
8) Masuzoe will not run in LDP presidential race 
 
YOMIURI (Page 2) (Full) 
September 2, 2009 
 
Health, Labor, and Welfare Minister Yoichi Masuzoe met yesterday 
evening with former Prime Minister Yoshiro Mori, a member of the 
Liberal Democratic Party (LDP), to inform him that he does not 
intend to run in the Sept. 28 LDP presidential election to choose a 
 
TOKYO 00002018  006 OF 012 
 
 
successor to Prime Minister Taro Aso (LDP president). The official 
campaign for the presidential race will kick off on Sept. 18. 
Masuzoe told Mori: "Although I have served as a member of the Abe, 
Fukuda, and Aso cabinets, I was unable to raise the public support 
rating for these cabinets. I keenly sense my responsibility for 
that. So, I cannot run for the presidency." Mori accepted this 
explanation. Due to Masuzoe's popularity, he was great in demand to 
give speeches supporting LDP candidates in Sunday's House of 
Representatives election. As a result, many LDP members had been 
calling on him to run in the party leadership race. 
 
9) Foreign Ministry unable to proceed in arranging the new prime 
minister's visit to U.S. 
 
YOMIURI (Page 3) (Excerpt) 
September 2, 2009 
 
Although it is expected that a Japan-U.S. summit between the new 
prime minister and U.S. President Barack Obama will be held during 
the prime minister's trip to the United States, the Ministry of 
Foreign Affairs has been unable to coordinate plans. Also regarding 
arrangements for a Japan-U.S. foreign ministerial between the new 
foreign ministry and Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, a senior 
MOFA official said: "Due to the U.S. side's reasons, there is not 
much time left at this point." In addition, if the new 
administration greatly increases the number of secretaries to the 
prime minister and Prime Minister's Official Residence (Kantei) 
staff, the selection of members accompanying the prime minister to 
the U.S. will become an issue. 
 
10) Poll: 71 PERCENT  pin hopes on Hatoyama as prime minister, 42 
PERCENT  reserve reply 
 
TOKYO SHIMBUN (Page 1) (Full) 
September 9, 2009 
 
In a Kyodo nationwide poll, 71.1 PERCENT  replied that they pin 
hopes on Democratic Party of Japan (DPJ) President Yukio Hatoyama as 
new prime minister. This figure is far larger than the support rate 
of 48.6 PERCENT  immediately after Prime Minister Taro Aso launched 
his cabinet in September of last year, indicating high expectations 
for the new administration. Those who said they did not expect much 
of Hatoyama accounted for 20.2 PERCENT . 
 
In the telephone survey conducted from Aug. 31 through Sept. 1, 49.2 
PERCENT  said they welcomed the change of government, while 42.3 
PERCENT  replied that they could not say either way. Regarding the 
Liberal Democratic Party's (LDP) historic defeat, 47.2 PERCENT  of 
respondents said they could not say either way, while 44.8 PERCENT 
said it was good. This result reveals that many people, while having 
high expectations for Hatoyama, intend to examine the new 
administration's handling of state affairs in a cool-headed manner. 
 
Concerning political parties' support rates, support for the DPJ 
skyrocketed to a record high of 41.1 PERCENT , exceeding 19.0 
PERCENT  for the LDP. The rate of the New Komeito stood at 5.1 
PERCENT , followed by the Japanese Communist Party with 3.4 PERCENT 
; the Social Democratic Party with 2.1 PERCENT ; the Your Party with 
2.4 PERCENT ; the People's New Party with 1.5 PERCENT ; the New 
Party Japan with 0.1 PERCENT . Those who said they did not support 
any political party made up 22.9 PERCENT . The support rate for the 
Aso cabinet was 14.2 PERCENT , while non-support rate was 75.3 
 
TOKYO 00002018  007 OF 012 
 
 
PERCENT . 
 
When asked about what tasks they want the Hatoyama cabinet to tackle 
on a priority basis (more than one answer acceptable), 40.2 PERCENT 
chose economic and job-market revitalization, followed by 39.7 
PERCENT  citing administrative and fiscal reforms such as 
eliminating wasteful spending of taxpayers' money; and 35.2 PERCENT 
calling for reforms of such social security systems such as the 
pension system. 
 
Asked about what qualities they expect the new prime minister to 
demonstrate, 26.6 PERCENT  picked explanation capability, followed 
by 24.9 PERCENT  seeking common sense; 17.6 PERCENT  choosing 
leadership; 13.3 PERCENT  preferring sincerity and modesty; and 12.0 
PERCENT  for political ethics and cleanness. 
 
Asked who would be desirable as the successor to outgoing Prime 
Minister Taro Aso (LDP president), Health, Labor and Welfare 
Minister Yoichi Masuzoe was picked by 29.1 PERCENT  of respondents, 
followed by Deputy Secretary General Nobuteru Ishihara by 12.2 
PERCENT . 
 
11) DPJ to freeze over 1 trillion yen in budget funds in revising 
the fiscal 2009 extra budget 
 
YOMIURI (Page 1) (Full) 
September 2, 2009 
 
The Democratic Party of Japan (DPJ) on September 1 decided to freeze 
more than 1 trillion yen out of 4.3 trillion yen earmarked for 46 
funds incorporated in the fiscal 2009 extra budget. The aim is to 
put on hold projects that are expected to produce weak stimulus 
effects and funnel the squeezed funds to fund policies it included 
in its policy manifesto for the Lower House election, including 
child allowances and an income compensation system for farm 
households. 
 
The process will likely result in the submission of a revised second 
fiscal 2009 extra budget to the fall Diet session, following cabinet 
ministers' ordering their ministries to suspend the projects subject 
to the freeze plan after the launch of the new administration. 
 
Items subject to the freeze plan include emergency human resources 
development, the employment assistance fund costing roughly 700 
billion yen, and the farmland- integration-promotion fund costing 
approximately 300 billion yen. The employment assistance fund aims 
to provide vocational training to those without employment 
insurance. The DPJ made an issue of the fact that the Japan 
Vocational Ability Development Association under the jurisdiction of 
the Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare (MHLW), to which the work 
has been entrusted, is an organization that accepts retired MHLW 
officials. 
 
The farmland-integration-promotion fund is designed to pay 15,000 
yen per 10 ares to old farmers and small-scale farm households who 
are leasing land. The aim is to help enthusiastic farmers to have 
extensive farmland. However, the DPJ has determined that assisting 
landlords would have little effect, because there is a shortage of 
farmers who want to rent farmland. 
 
12) Fuji Heavy Industries to ask Defense Ministry for 50 billion yen 
in compensation for cancellation of helicopter purchase plan 
 
TOKYO 00002018  008 OF 012 
 
 
 
ASAHI (Page 7) (Excerpts) 
September 2, 2009 
 
Fuji Heavy Industries Ltd. decided yesterday to submit to the 
Defense Ministry a letter calling for almost 50 million yen in 
compensation after the ministry canceled a plan to buy fighter 
helicopters from the company. 
 
The ministry decided in 2001 to purchase 62 helicopters - the AH64D 
Apache Longbow. Fuji Heavy Industries and a parts manufacture 
affiliated with the company paid more than 40 billion yen to Boeing 
Co. in licensing and other fees. The companies were planning to 
recover the fees from the government by dividing the total amount of 
fees they paid by 62 and adding the calculated amount to each unit 
price. But the Defense Ministry canceled the plan after ordering 10 
helicopters during a period between 2002 and 2007. As a result, the 
companies were unable to recover the fees. Reportedly, the ministry 
canceled the plan because of growing criticism of the high unit 
price of approximately 8 billion yen. 
 
13) DPJ aims to submit package bill to create scheme for 
politically-led government 
 
NIKKEI (Top Play) (Excerpts) 
September 2, 2009 
 
The Democratic Party of Japan (DPJ) has started coordination to 
submit a bill to create a scheme for politically-led government 
during an extraordinary Diet session likely to be convened in 
October. The party plans to lump all of its proposals to that end 
into a single bill. The proposals include those to establish a 
national strategy bureau tasked with drawing up basic policies on 
budgetary compilation and diplomacy and to install 100 or so 
legislators in government agencies. President Yukio Hatoyama will 
launch his government right after he is voted in as prime minister 
in a special Diet session and lay the groundwork for these measures 
to be implemented by existing ordinances or revising relevant laws. 
 
The DPJ promised in its campaign manifesto to terminate the central 
government's dependence on bureaucrats. To that end, the party has 
judged it necessary to set up legally endorsed powerful 
organizations. The party intends to create mechanisms under the 
prime minister's instruction or ordinances until relevant laws are 
revised and prepare a full-scale scheme in the extraordinary Diet 
session. 
 
The party plans to include in the envisioned bill a bill revising 
the Diet Law to create a system to have lawmakers serve as advisers 
to cabinet ministers and a bill revising the Cabinet Office 
Establishment Law to abolish the Council on Economic and Fiscal 
Policy. The package bill will also include bills to establish the 
national strategy bureau and an administrative reform council to 
root out wasteful spending. There is a possibility that legislation 
for national administrative organizations and a bill revising the 
National Public Service Law will also be included in the package 
bill. 
 
14) Poll: 68 PERCENT  happy with DPJ's landslide victory 
 
YOMIURI (Page 1) (Abridged slightly) 
September 2, 2009 
 
TOKYO 00002018  009 OF 012 
 
 
 
Sixty-eight percent of people said they are pleased with the results 
of Sunday's House of Representatives election, in which the 
Democratic Party of Japan (DPJ) achieved a landslide victory and the 
Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) suffered a crushing defeat, according 
to a Yomiuri Shimbun telephone-based survey conducted on Monday and 
Tuesday. The nationwide survey also revealed that 71 PERCENT  of 
respondents have high expectations of the new government to be led 
by the DPJ. At the same time, the poll also found that only 54 
PERCENT  think the DPJ will be able to implement the policies 
outlined in its manifesto (campaign pledges), while 44 PERCENT  said 
they think it will be impossible to do so, indicating that the 
public are viewing the new government with a mixture of hope and 
concern. 
 
A sense of expectation was also reflected in support rates for 
political parties, with the figure for the DPJ reaching a record 
high of 46.6 PERCENT , a major increase from the 36 PERCENT  market 
in the previous survey conducted on Aug. 25-27. The rate of support 
for the LDP marked 23.5 PERCENT , almost the same as the 23.4 
PERCENT  recorded in the previous survey. 
 
Asked why the DPJ was able to make major gains in the general 
election, 46 PERCENT  said it was due to "dissatisfaction with Prime 
Minister Taro Aso and the LDP," while 37 PERCENT  cited expectations 
for a change of government. In addition, only 10 PERCENT  gave 
positive assessments to the DPJ manifesto and 3 PERCENT  expressed 
hopes for DPJ President Yukio Hatoyama. 
 
Forty-eight percent said they are happy with the planned three-party 
coalition of the DPJ, the Social Democratic Party, and the People's 
New Party, while 39 PERCENT  said they are not. 
 
Further, 73 PERCENT  said they are not convinced with Hatoyama's 
explanation that his secretary independently decided to record 
fictitious individual donations in the funds report prepared by 
Hatoyama's fund-management organization, while only 15 PERCENT  said 
they are convinced with his explanation. 
 
15) MSDF destroyer returns to its base 
 
NIKKEI (Page 38) (Excerpts) 
September 2, 2009 
 
The Maritime Self-Defense Force's (MSDF) destroyer Akebono (4,550 
tons), which was on the mission of refueling foreign vessels in the 
Indian Ocean under the new Antiterrorism Special Measures Law, 
returned to the MSDF Kure Base in Hiroshima Prefecture yesterday. 
 
Democratic Party of Japan (DPJ) President Yukio Hatoyama has 
announced a policy not to extend the refueling mission in the Indian 
Ocean after the law's expiration next January. 
 
16) U.S. makes clear that it will not renegotiate Futenma plan in 
bid to warn of DPJ's stance toward U.S. 
 
NIKKEI (Page 2) (Full) 
September 2, 2009 
 
There are already indications that the coordination of views between 
the Japanese and U.S. governments on the realignment of U.S. forces 
in Japan will encounter complications. The Democratic Party of Japan 
 
TOKYO 00002018  010 OF 012 
 
 
(DPJ) specified in its manifesto (campaign pledges) a review of the 
Japan-U.S. agreement on U.S. force realignment. The U.S. State 
Department, however, presented a policy of not responding to a call 
for a review. After becoming the new prime minister, DPJ President 
Yukio Hatoyama is scheduled to visit the United States to coincide 
with the UN General Assembly and other events and hold talks with 
President Barack Obama. If Hatoyama strongly requests a review, that 
might have an impact on Japan-U.S. relations. 
 
The DPJ manifesto says that the party will "move in the direction of 
re-examining the realignment of U.S. military forces in Japan and 
the role of U.S. military bases in Japan." During the election 
campaign, Hatoyama emphasized the policy of giving priority to 
building relations of trust between Japan and the United States. 
Meanwhile, a DPJ executive described yesterday the U.S. indication 
not to review the matter a "pickoff." He also indicated that his 
party will continue seeking a review, saying: "Thinking changes when 
the administration changes. Talks must be held." 
 
State Department Spokesman Ian Kelly said at a press conference that 
the United States has no intention of renegotiating the planned 
relocation of the U.S. Marine Corps' Futenma Air Station (in 
Ginowan, Okinawa Prefecture) and other matters with the Japanese 
government. Washington is expected to strongly set forth its wishes 
through the Japan-U.S. summit planned for late-September and other 
events. 
 
17) U.S. State Department: "No renegotiations" on Futenma 
 
MAINICHI (Page 3) (Full) 
September 2, 2009 
 
(North America bureau) 
 
Following the Democratic Party of Japan's (DPJ) victory in Sunday's 
House of Representatives election, U.S. State Department Spokesman 
Kelly stated on renegotiations on the realignment of U.S. Forces 
Japan, which the DPJ has called for: 
 
"The United States has no intention to renegotiate with the Japanese 
government on the U.S. Marine Corps' Futenma Air Station relocation 
plan, as well as on the relocation of (Marines in Okinawa) to 
Guam." 
 
Regarding the Maritime Self-Defense Force's refueling operations in 
the Indian Ocean, Kelly said: "Japan has played a crucial role," 
calling for the continuation of the MSDF's mission. 
 
Kelly's statement appears to have been aimed at seeking to constrain 
the new Japanese government by stressing the U.S. government's 
position before the inauguration of a DPJ-led administration. 
 
18) Yomiuri poll: 66 percent say, "The LDP can win back the reins of 
government," while 19 percent reply, "It cannot" 
 
YOMIURI (Page 2) (Full) 
September 2, 2009 
 
According to a telephone-based nationwide spot opinion poll carried 
out by The Yomiuri Shimbun on Lower House election returns, 66 
percent of respondents said that they believe the Liberal Democratic 
Party (LDP) can win back the reins of government, extensively 
 
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topping 19 percent, who said that it would be impossible to do so. 
The positive reply was given even by 62 percent of Democratic Party 
of Japan (DPJ) supporters and 61 percent of non-affiliated pollees. 
It appears that many respondents view that a change of government 
between the two major parties - the LDP and the DPJ - will occur 
with the LDP regaining party strength eventually. 
 
As reasons the DPJ has lost a great number of seats, 
"dissatisfaction with policies and track record" was cited by the 
largest proportion at 32 percent, followed by "decline in the 
capability to run the government" at 27 percent, "rejection of the 
LDP" at 19 percent, and "dissatisfaction with Prime Minister Aso" at 
17 PERCENT . 
 
To a question on how pollees expect the LDP to respond to a new 
DPJ-led administration, the largest proportion of 77 percent said, 
"The LDP should cooperate with the administration, depending on the 
details of policies," followed by 14 percent, who said, "It should 
totally cooperate with the DPJ," and 5 percent who replied, "It 
should absolutely confront the LDP." 
 
19) Finance Minister Yosano to abstain from G-20: Japan's financial 
diplomacy to suffer defeat by default 
 
YOMIURI (Page 9) (Full) 
September 2, 2009 
 
Finance Minister Kaoru Yosano will not attend the meeting of finance 
ministers and central bank governors from the Group of Twenty 
nations (G-20) to be held on September 4-5 in London. Senior Vice 
Finance Minister Wataru Takeshita will attend the meeting in his 
place. Japan will face the G-20 without the attendance of its 
financial chief, although it is true that the timing of the meeting 
is awkward because it will take place amid the process of the change 
of government in Japan. The G-20 is a prelude to the financial 
summit to be held later in the month, a venue where DPJ President 
Hatoyama will make his debut on the international financial stage. 
There is a growing view in the market that the DPJ administration's 
financial diplomacy will fall behind other countries as a result of 
the absence. 
 
At a press conference on September 1, Yosano cited his health 
condition as a reason for skipping the G-20. However, it appears 
that his decision was affected by the fact that even if he attends 
the meeting, he would not be able to exert influence because he is 
bound to resign soon due to the inauguration of the Hatoyama 
administration. 
 
The G-20 this time is a key preparatory meeting for the financial 
summit to be held in Pittsburgh later this month. 
 
Discussions on such key issues as strengthening regulations to 
prevent a recurrence of the financial crisis and a revision of the 
international accounting standards, which depending on the outcome 
could have a major impact on Japan's financial sector, are expected 
to be pursued. 
 
The DPJ received a briefing on the G-20 from a senior Finance 
Ministry official on Sept. 1. However, some ministry officials said 
that the absence of a minister who is trusted by the international 
community will have a major impact. Attention is focused on whether 
Japan can produce sufficient results at the G-20, which will pave 
 
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the way for the financial summit. 
 
ROOS